Textile material



Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TEXTILE MATERIAL NoDrawing. Application April 2, 1931, Serial No.

'Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of textile fabrics exhibitingcrepe effects.

Textile fabrics exhibiting crpe effects have long been obtained byemploying'in their con- 5. struction highly twisted yarns, hereinafterreferred to as crepe yarns or crepe threads, made of natural silk in thegummed state, the crepe effects appearing when the gum is subsequentlyremoved by scouring-or like treatment. The production of crepe effectsby the employment of highly twisted crepe threads made of celluloseacetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose has however beenaccomplished with considerable difiiculty.

We have now found that crpeeffects may be produced upon fabricscontaining highly twisted crepe threads by processes comprising theapplication of concentrated solutions of organic or inorganic salts. Wehave found for example that 20 a fabric containing highly twisted crepethreads of cellulose acetate filaments may be caused to exhibit crepeeffects by treatment with a concentrated solution of calcium chloridefollowed by a scouring or like aqueous treatment.

2 The invention is of special value in the production of crepe efiectsupon fabrics containing highly twisted crepe threads made with filamentsof cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose and willtherefore be de- 30 scribed more particularly. .with reference to suchfabrics. q

Either organic or inorganic salts capable of yielding concentratedsolutions in water or other liquids may be employed for the purposes ofthe present invention. As examples of such salts may be mentioned thehalide salts of alkaline earth metals or of lithium or. zinc, forexample the chlorides of lithium or zinc, in addition to calciumchloride mentioned above. Other wholly inorganic salts which may be usedare the acid alkali-metal salts of dior polybasic acids, for examplesodium hydrogen sulphate or sodium dihydrogen phosphate. As example ofsalts of inorganic bases with organic acids may be instanced the alkalimetal salts of acetic acid or other aliphatic acids, for example sodiumor potassium acetate. Further salts of organic amine hydrochloride.

50 Especially good results may be obtained with the aid of concentratedsolutions of salts which are deliquescent or hygroscopic or have amarked aflinityfor water,.for example calcium chloride.

zinc chloride, or sodium or potassium acetate.

65 The solutions, preferably aqueous, may be of In Great Britain May'7,1930 such high concentration as to be capable of taking up waterreadily, for example from theatmosphere or from the materials undertreatment.

It appears that the concentrated salt solutions do exert a dehydratingaction on the material of the crepe threads which when allowed to absorbwater again, tend to diminish in length and give rise to the desiredcrepe effects.

Indeed it has further been found that the concentrated salt solutionsmay be replaced for the purposes of the present invention by otheragents or treatments having a dehydrating action on the material of thecrepe thread filaments. For example the fabrics may be treated withethyl or methyl alcohol, either absolute or containing a smallproportion of water, the alcohol removed by drying in the absence ofmoisture, and the fabrics finally treated with water.

Again the fabrics may be dehydrated by boiling with benzene or othersuitable liquid, in order to remove water as an azeotropic mixturetherewith. v

The fabrics containing highly twisted crepe threads made of orcontaining organic derivatives of cellulose may, after subjection totreatment with a concentrated solution of a salt or to anotherdehydrating treatment as already indiair or other gas laden with watervapour, for such time as may be necessary to secure maximum developmentof the desired crepe eflect. Again the materials may be sprayed withwater in quantity no greater than is necessary to effect production ofthe crepe effects for example in quantity of from 10 to 40 per cent. ofthe weight of the materials. After spraying with the requisiteproportion of water or other aqueous liquid,

the materials may be allowed to stand to permit the water to exert itseffect, e. g. the material may be rolled up and left for a time.

The concentrated salt solutions may be applied to the fabrics containinghighly twisted crepe threads in any convenient manner and eitheruniformly or otherwise as desired. For example in the case of uniformapplication the materials may be passed through the concentrated saltsolutions, or more conveniently, they may be padded with the solutions,e. g. by means of a padding mangle. If desired, the concentrated saltsolutions may be applied locally to the materials, for instance byprinting or stencilling, whereby brocade or like effects may beproduced. Salt solutions to be applied locally or by padding may besuitably thickened if desired or requisite.

The concentrated salt solutions may be permitted to remain in contactwith the materials for a substantial time depending on the nature of thesalts used, the concentration and temperature of the solutions, and thenature of the materials under treatment. To this end the materials maybe allowed to remain for a time in the baths when these are employed, orwhen the salt solutions have been applied by padding the materials maybe batched, that is to say they maybe rolled or otherwise parcelled upand allowed to stand until the salt solutions have acted on thematerials for a suflicient time.

It will be appreciated that the nature, temperature, and time of actionof the salt solutions or other dehydrating agents should not be such asto causedamage to the materials.

According to a modification of the invention the crepe threads may besubjected to the action of concentrated salt solutions or a dehydratingtreatment prior to weaving or even prior -to the application of therequisite high degree of twist.

The yarns to serve as crepe threads may for instance bepassed throughthe concentrated salt solutions in transit to a twisting device for theapplication of the requisite twist. The highly twisted yarn may then beincorporated in fabrics and the latter subjected to an aqueoustreatment.

The degree of twist imparted to the yarns or threads of celluloseacetate or other organicderivatives of cellulose serving to give thecrepe effects may be similar to that commonly employed in the productionof crpe threads from natural silk, for example the threads may haveimparted thereto a twist of from -75 turns per inch. Any other suitabledegree of twist may however be employed according to the effects it isdesired to produce. If desired, two or more highly twisted threads ofthe same or different direction or degree of twist may be doubledtogether to form the crepe threads. By suitable variation of thecomponent threads, degree of twist, 'etc. a wide variety of effects maybe produced.

The highly twistedcrpe threads may be incorporated in the fabrics in anysuitable manner, for example the weft alone may be-wholly or partiallycomposed of such threads or the warp may also contain them; In theformer case on treatment in accordance with the invention, the

fabrics exhibit chiefly shrinkagein the direction of the weft. It isfound most convenient in-general to employ threads of relatively lowtwist in the warp and to. employ in the weft both crepe threads having aleft-hand twist and crepe threads having a right-hand twist. Threadshaving leftand right-hand twist respectively may be disposed in thefabric in any convenient manner. For example pairs of threads ofleft-hand twist may alternate with I be made of or contain filaments ofany desired organic derivatives of cellulose, for example celluloseesters, e. g. cellulose actate, formate, propionate or butyrate, orcellulose ethers, e. g. ethyl, 1 methyl or benzyl cellulose, or theanalogous condensation products derived from cellulose and glycols orother poly'hydric alcohols. The fabrics may be composed wholly of yarnsmade of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose, or they maycomprise also yarns of other filaments or fibres whether natural orartificial. As examples of other fibres-may be mentioned arti ficialsilk of the regenerated cellulose type and also cotton, wool or silk orother natural fibre. Though the invention has been described moreparticularly with reference to the manufacture of crepe fabricscontaining crepe threads made with filaments of cellulose acetate orother oranic derivatives .of cellulose the invention is not limited tothe use of such crepe threads. As previously indicated crepethreads'made with filaments of other materials, for example degummedsilk, regenerated cellulose, or other natural or artificial materialsmay likewise be utilized.

Crepe threads may also be employed composed of filaments of two or moredifferent kinds, whether in respect of material or 'size or both. Thusthere may be used threads containing both filaments of cellulose estersor ethers and filaments of regenerated cellulose or natural silk, orthreads containing cellulose ester or ether filaments of two or moredifferent deniers.

Further, the crepe threads, whether made from filaments of organicderivatives of cellulose or natural or artificial filaments or fibres-ofother materials, may be sized prior to twisting and/or weaving. In suchcase the treatment with concentrated solutions of salts and/or thewashing; scouring, or other subsequent treatment may be adapted to swellthe sizing materials thereon. Where the production of the crepe effectsis dependent, wholly or in 'part, upon a swelling of a sizing material,the latter may be selected and applied so that the size may be caused toswell by the treatment with the salt solutions and/or other treatmentwithout becoming unduly soft or yielding. Further it is advisable thatthe filaments of the crepe threads be coated individually. with size. Inorder that this may be the case the crepe threads may be sized prior totwisting or at least prior to the application of a high degree of twist,or if desired the filaments may be sized singly or in comparativelysmall groups, prior to their being brought together to form a thread ofthe required thickness.

The invention is illustratedbut not limited by the following examples:-

' Example 1 A fabric comprising a warp of cellulose acetate yarns of lowtwist and a weft of cellulose acetate yarns twisted to 65 turns per inchis padded with a 30% to 40% solution of calcium chloride. After standingfor a time say V -2 hours, the material Example 2 A fabric composed ofcellulose acetate yarns of the kind described in Example 1 is treatedfor half an hour with warm absolute ethyl alcohol and is then freedfromalcohol and carefully 7 dried in the absence of moisture. The fabric isA cellulose acetate fabric of the kind referred to in Example 1 istreated locally with a saturated solution of calcium chloride, thelatter being applied by spraying through stencils. After standing for ashort time the material is rapidly washed in a large volume of warmwater and dried.

Example 4 A fabric made entirely from cellulose acetate yam of '75denier and turns per inch in which two threads of left-hand twist yarnalternate with two threads of right-hand twist yarn in both warp andweft, is immersed in a saturated solution of sodium hydrogen sulphate.The fabric is then rinsed, scoured and dyed and finally dried withouttension.

Example 5 Cellulose acetate yarn of denier and of low twist is passedthrough a strong solution of calcium chloride at ordinary temperature.The yarn is then twisted to 55 turns per inch and woven into a cottonwarp, two picks of yarn of lefthand twist alternating with two picks ofyarn of right-hand twist. The resulting fabric is thereafter scoured andfinally dried without tension.

What we claim and desire to secure by letters Patent is:-'- I I 1. In aproduction of textile fabrics exhibiting crepe effects in which yarnsare twisted to a high degree and incorporated in fabrics and the lattersubjected to an aqueous treatment, the step of subjecting the yarns tothe action of a dehydrating reagent prior to the incorporation of theyarns in the fabrics.

2. In a production of textile fabrics exhibiting crepe effects in whichyarns containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose aretwisted to a high degree and incorporated in fabrics and the 'lattersubjected to an aqueous treatment, the step of subjecting the yarns tothe action of a dehydrating reagent prior to the incorporation of theyarns in the fabrics. I

3. Ina production of teiktile fabrics exhibiting crepe effects in whichyarns containing filaments of cellulose acetate are twisted to a highdegree and incorporated in fabrics and the latter subjected toa'naqueous treatment, the step of subjecting the yarns to the action ofa dehydrat- 'of cellulose with concentrated solutions of salts havinggood aflinity for and high solubility in water, imparting a crepe twistto the yarn, incorporating the yarn in fabrics and subjecting thefabrics to an aqueous treatment.

6. Process for the production of fabrics exhibiting .crepe effects whichcomprises treating yarn containing cellulose acetate filaments withconcentrated solutions of salts having good afflnity for and highsolubility in water, imparting a crepe twist to the yarn, incorporatingthe yarn in fabrics and subjecting the fabrics to an aqueous treatment.

7. Process for the production of crepe effects upon fabrics containingcrepe twisted yarns offilaments of organic derivatives of cellulose,which comprises subjecting the yarns to the action of a concentratedsolution of an alkali'metal acetate, and thereafter incorporating saidyarns into fabrics and subjecting the fabrics to an aqueous treatment.

8. Process for the production of fabrics exhibiting crepe efiects whichcomprises subjecting yarns of low twist to the action'of a dehydratingreagent, applying a. crepe twist thereto, incorporating thecrepe-twisted yarns in fabrics, and subjecting the fabrics to an aqueoustreatment.

9. Process'for the production of fabrics exhibiting crepe effects whichcomprises subjecting yarns of low twist containing filaments of organicderivatives of cellulose to the action of a dehydrating reagent,applying crepe twist thereto, in-

corporating the yarns in fabrics and subjecting the fabrics to anaqueous treatment.

10. Process for the production of fabrics exhibiting crepe effects whichcomprises subjecting

